Roberts gets the parties started

Republican Party committees are getting their groove back, thanks to John Roberts.

Insiders are dreaming up how to maximize a recent Supreme Court ruling that frees up some big donors to give even more.

Story Continued Below

A prominent idea: create a new class of donors who contribute a total of six- or seven-figure donations to each of three party committees and spread cash to endangered lawmakers. In exchange, the big-money givers would get something of an “all access pass” that comes with perks from the big three national committees, like face time with top officials.

Lawyers and leaders of the committees have held meetings and are crafting a plan to boost contributions before the November elections, according to multiple sources.

The moves are early signs that the national party committees are making a comeback after years of stumbling and shrinking in an era of super PACs. The Supreme Court allowed unlimited money to flow into super PACs years ago, and a new decision last week lifts the caps on the total amount of money an individual can give to political campaigns, PACs and parties.

Republicans say the new rules will let them compete with Democratic committees, which have often outraised them.

“It could help us catch up because there are people who want to help us, and maybe want to help the Democrats, who have been kept from expressing their full opinion on politics monetarily,” said Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), the national finance chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Lawyers from the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the NRCC are designing a joint fundraising agreement that could be formed by the summer , sources said.

The leaders of the three committees — Reince Priebus, Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, respectively, dialed into a conference call last week to discuss details, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Savvy House Republican fundraisers are also in the early stages of forming state-focused joint fundraising committees to distribute checks from large-scale national donors. One lawmaker, speaking anonymously to discuss early political plans, said the party’s top fundraisers can now persuade their donors to give to junior members — and build chits in the Capitol for leadership races.

Democrats are getting in on it, too. They sent legal guidance to megadonors reviewing the new rules, according to a Democratic lobbyist who received the packet.

“We’ll play by the same rules they’re playing by,” said Rep. Steve Israel of New York, the chairman of the House Democrats’ campaign arm. “Then, when we get in the majority, we’ll pass legislation that takes money out of politics. But until then, I don’t believe in unilateral surrender.”